should I feel a bit peed off about new Child Benefit rules in the budget...

[ladydeedy]

I am the main earner and DH and I are very happy with our arrangement and have been for the past 12 years. 2 years ago DSS2 came to live with us, slightly unexpectedly. Obviously I fund a lot of of the cost of his upkeep (and before that, basically subsidised DH's payments to his ex following his drop in income a few years ago).

Since DSS2 came to live with us we have eased the change in our home set up a bit by DH being able to claim CB. Bit peed off (probably need to rethink it all!) that because I (not his mum or dad) earn more than the new limit that will come into effect, DH will no longer be able to claim CB from next year ....
am probably being a bit unreasonable but still.....

Hi Swed, I think the fact you are not a step mum and you have an arrangement in your home that effectively means your partner is not taking on a parenting role, probably explains why I find so many of your posts to be so unrelated to the real world of step parenting. I have found a number of your posts recently to be quite unhelpful and I now understand why that is.

Bravo chelen!

I don't see how it's fair that it's calculated before CM is paid so people may be well under the threshold after this payment but still have to lose the CB when Cm isn't taken into account when the RP is claiming benfits. It just doesn't make sense.

My friend for example is single but has her new DP staying over 4 nights a week. She has a DS(3) and she 'earns' a lot more than I do a month because she claims benefits but also receives CM which isn't calculated. She works 2 days a week earning about £400 a month so she is a low earner she receives CB, WTC, HB and probably more, aswell as £500 a month CM from her ex this means she has an income of around £3000 a month she shops all the time she goes out twice a week and has Sky+ all the while her DP has his own business and does quite well and gives her cash left right and centre as a 'gift' on top of all this.

On the other hand My DH and I work are arses off both working full time to be able pay out CM for DSS and pay for full-time childcare for our DD because we HAVE to work. We do get CB but no WTC. We don't buy clothes ever, hardly ever go out and don't have sky I would love to know how the government this this is a fair system. Of course CM should be taken into account when applying for benefits. A NRP could be paying out £1000+ a month in CM while the RP could still claim CB etc on top a and be leading the life of luxury. It's a ridiculous rule.